


Numb

by zimmer2d



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Depression, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Sad, chester bannington refrence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 21:34:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17030421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zimmer2d/pseuds/zimmer2d
Summary: Prompto leaned back, pulling me with him and adjusting so I’d fit comfortably over him, re-fluffing the blanket to cover us. “Breathe with me, ok?” I nodded as I followed his breathing pattern, in through the nose, out through the mouth as he stroked at my hair, the last thing I hear is his voice telling me that we’ve got each other and everything will be ok… like Chester said it would.





	Numb

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t really know how to preface this other than I was feeling some type of way and this is what I wrote to cope. Chester: I can’t even describe how it feels to have a light that shone so bright be snuffed out so quickly. I don’t know what else to say except thank you for that light for as long as it shone.

I walked in right at the end. Dammit I missed it! “C’mon, babe!” Prompto bounded into the living room, pajamas on and sodas in hand to add to the snacks on the coffee table. “It’s like the last thirty minutes, but I bet we could watch it over when it’s done.”

“Ok, let me go change,” I smile. We’d been waiting all week for this. I had told Prompto how much of a Linkin Park fan I was. When I heard about Chester… I didn’t know what to do. I left work; my boss understood. In fact, he escorted me out, telling me a story about how he and his Crownsgaurd buddies coped better listening to the band put human emotion into words. That was awhile back. But I had heard about the tribute concert they were putting on, but by the time I had a second to look at them, they were gone.

The moment I heard that they would livestream the show, Prompto and I made plans to watch it together. Unfortunately, I ended up stuck in miserable traffic, refusing to even listen to it until I was safely home with Prompto. I went to change as he set up the console, trying to muster the fan girly excitement I thought I felt for it. “Ok,” I say, tucking my legs under me as I settled on the sofa, “Go!”

Prompto pressed play and I immediately squealed. Travis Barker… wait, all of Blink-182! Bebe Rexha! How dare I miss this? The show, or what was left of it, was well worth the $1,000 plus tickets. “Damn, I hate that I missed it all,” I sigh. Prompto picked up the controller and pressed the back button, starting the show from the beginning.

“I bet poor Talinda is going through it,” he muttered. “Not to mention his kids.”

“Yeah I bet they are…”

The concert started over, the two of us singing along… until the one song that gets me. Every. Fucking. Time.

“Babe?” Prompto frowned the moment my words began to choke, “Wh-what’s wrong?”

“I-I…” I stuttered, babbling like a fucking mess, clinging to my boyfriend like he was my only tether to the world. “It’s not fair…”

Prompto paused the show, leaving the screen frozen on a sight I never want to see again. A microphone with no Chester behind it. “Do you want me to turn it off?”

“N-no…” I sniffled, rubbing my eyes, trying to avert them from the screen as I reached for a tissue among the chips and cookies. “It’s just… you know…have you ever thought there was a song that once you got over it you probably forget it?”

Prompto nodded but didn’t say anything, so I continued, “That song was ‘Numb’ for me. I know I’m awful for letting a song get to me and for getting so damn emotional for it, but high school was horrible to me. I was made fun of, I had my heart broken so many times I lost count. Hearing 'Numb’ for the first time was… it was everything. Eventually, I was numb to everything. I thought I’d gotten over it by the time I got to to college, but no. It just stayed at the back of my mind. So fast forward to now, watching that crowd sing Numb and a spotlight on a microphone…” I took several breaths of air to stop myself from completely breaking down, “with no Chester. I felt like my high school self came out and I just… I felt alone for a moment. Chester brought that song to life for me and… I don’t how to explain it but… “

“Babe?” Prompto said softly, wiping an errant tear from my face, “It’s ok. I still have those moments too. It doesn’t mean what you’re feeling isn’t valid. If anything, it just means you’re human. Oh, you’re shaking…” Prompto wiped away the tears from my eyes as they began to flow more freely. “Please don’t cry. I know it’s really hard on you.”

Prompto turned on the sofa, crossing his legs and pulling me into him. I crossed my legs behind him, holding onto him like I wasn’t sure if he were real. “I know it’s hard for some people to cry about someone they’ve never met, but Linkin Park got me through some hard shit. Chester… that voice stayed in my mind; he made a song an emotion, you know? Gods, you must think I’m insane.”

“No, no! Honey, I’d never think that of you,” he blustered, taking my face in his hands and giving me a very serious stare. “It’s rough, I know. But you’ve been doing so well babe! I’m proud of you!”

I smiled a bit at him and he smiled back, a sunshiney bright smile, “There’s my girl!” He pulled me back into his chest, resting my head on his shoulder. “Want me to play it? I know you want to see the rest. And it looks like they’re all having fun.”

I nodded and he tapped the play button. The song continued, hitting me in the soul as it did before. I tried to sing along again, but instead I ended up bawling into Prompto’s shoulder. He simply held onto me, wrapping me in a throw blanket, rocking me gently and thumbing at my back. Once the song was over, Prompto pried me off to look at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Never be sorry for feeling human,” he said, “It took me a long time to learn that too.” Realizing the weight of his words, I felt even worse. He tapped me on the back, looking at me with sincerity in his watery, violet-blue eyes.  “Hey, hey… I’m always here for you, y’know? The guys too. If you need anything, just tell us… b-but tell me first ok?”

I give him a giggle and he presses a chaste kiss on my lips. We watch the rest of the concert in silence, save for the sound of snack munching and chuckles at the clips they chose to fill in the lulls. Once it was over, Prompto looked down at me, once again swiping at my tears. “It hurts to see you cry, Honey,” he said quietly. “I know you have those ups and downs, even if you don’t want me to see them, but I want to. Let me help you when that happens so you don’t have to feel so alone.”

“Ok,” I agreed. I felt lightheaded and tired, but my body felt weak. “This is so taxing… I’m so tired…”

Prompto leaned back, pulling me with him and adjusting so I’d fit comfortably over him, re-fluffing the blanket to cover us. “Breathe with me, ok?” I nodded as I followed his breathing pattern, in through the nose, out through the mouth as he stroked at my hair, the last thing I hear is his voice telling me that we’ve got each other and everything will be ok… like Chester said it would.


End file.
